Not a leg to stand on
by Sylvie Orp
Summary: Sometimes operatives can be too keen.


Bodie settled himself in front of Cowley ready for his day's assignment. He wondered where Doyle was. It was Monday morning and they hadn't seen each other over the weekend. He was going to get it in the neck if he didn't turn up in the next few minutes.

"So," Cowley was saying, handing Bodie a paper, "this is the address you've to get to. McCabe will meet you there. And take it easy, Bodie. The Ryans are an edgy family. We don't want them crying 'foul' when you invite them back here for a wee chat."

Bodie grinned. The Ryans would be crying alright by the time Bodie had finished with them.

"And Doyle?" Bodie asked, getting rather edgy himself.

At that point Doyle shouldered the door of Cowley's office. He was on crutches and looking very embarrassed. Bodie didn't know whether to tease or sympathise. The grin splitting his face made the decision for him.

"Don't start, Bodie," warned Doyle before Bodie could think of a witty line. "And before you ask, I was at a footie match, turned my ankle, and the Blacktown Boys won 2-0, so it was worth it. Ok?" Doyle shuffled himself onto a seat irritably. Cowley of course would be fully aware of any agents' injuries.

"No," Cowley growled, "not 'ok'. I don't mind you getting hurt in pursuit of CI5's missions, but I strongly object to you falling over your feet while on leave."

"It was an accident and it was the weekend," Doyle protested.

Cowley growled and muttered. Clearly unfit for duty, Bodie wondered why his partner had been dragged into Cowley's office.

"Well while you're here you may as well make yourself useful. I need background on the Ryan family. Your contacts at Limehouse will have more information than we can find in the files. Have a word with them and I want your report before Bodie gets back here with them in the afternoon. Bodie, the station is on the way so you can take him there. Oh, and Doyle?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Put any weight on that ankle and you're off the squad."

Bodie grinned and Doyle rolled his eyes climbing back onto his crutches. In the car, Bodie quizzed Doyle about his accident on the pitch. He was thoroughly enjoying his partner's embarrassment. It was a great start to the week. On the way to Doyle's rendez-vous the radio squawked. It was a general alert to a shoot-out at a disused warehouse. 2.1 and 5.4 were already there and had requested emergency back-up. Bodie responded to say that it was just round the corner from their present position. Doyle was already checking his gun as his partner was on the R/T. Throwing the radio down, Bodie revved the engine to max. The pair seemed to have forgotten their morning's assignments already.

Screeching to a halt outside the building, Bodie threw himself out of the car, gun already drawn. It was only as Doyle did the same that he was painfully reminded of his injury and Cowley's strict order not to make matters worse. Oh well, too late for that now. Doyle's even stricter order was to watch Bodie's back. Abandoning his crutches, he limped after his partner. He could already hear a battle going on. He was late to the party however as the shooting had stopped by the time he reached half-way into the building. He could already see Adams tentatively getting to his feet and his partner, Reilly, tip-toeing down the stairs. Bodie was turning towards Doyle and about to say something when Doyle saw the gunman before anyone else. "Down!" he yelled to Bodie, who dropped instinctively to the floor. Doyle and the sniper exchanged fire simultaneously across Bodie's body; they fell to the floor in perfect synchronisation. Bodie and the other agents stayed where they were as though in a trance. After a few heartbeats, it was clear that there wasn't going to be any more shooting. The operatives came out of their trance and Bodie headed instantly towards his partner. Doyle was curled in a tight ball and breathing heavily. At least he was breathing. The other agents joined Bodie who had knelt down by his friend. It was their turn to watch Bodie's back.

"Ray?" He was almost afraid to ask.

The others looked on with concern, not wanting to interfere unless asked to. Doyle gasped and muttered something about his ankle. Bodie had forgotten about that. He grasped Doyle's shoulders and dragged him into a sitting position.

"Bloody ankle," Doyle gasped again, rocking and massaging his leg frantically as though that would ease the pain.

Bodie tried to straighten him up a bit to look for bullet wounds. Almost satisfied that his friend was bullet-free, he then turned his attention to the ankle. Doyle uncurled himself sufficiently for him to gaze with the others at his swollen limb, which seemed to grow as they watched. Bodie made to feel the bone. Doyle gasped and snatched at his hand urgently.

"I've told you before about exploring my body in front of strangers," Doyle panted through gritted teeth, and was gratified to see Bodie looking with great embarrassment at their highly amused colleagues.

They became more serious when they heard the sound of sirens coming towards them. Adams said he'd go and see who'd arrived. Bodie and Reilly took an arm each and hauled Doyle to his feet.

"What was it Cowley said, Ray?" Bodie asked rhetorically. "Put weight on that leg and you're out of the service?"

"At this moment, Bodie, Cowley can …"

Fortunately Doyle's colourful suggestion was cut off by Adams returning with news that the police and an ambulance had arrived. They headed off to meet them, leaving Doyle standing uncertainly on one leg. "Thanks," he shouted sarcastically into the silence. As he waited for someone to remember him, he noticed that the sniper he'd felled was trying to move. Doyle staggered a few yards then got down to the ground and shuffled the rest of the way towards the casualty. His first priority was to skitter the gun across the floor away from the man's outstretched hand, then he examined him for wounds. When Bodie came back with a paramedic, Doyle was crouched over the man, his hands submerged in blood as he tried to staunch bleeding from a stomach wound. The medic turned quickly on his heels to retrieve his colleague, a stretcher and equipment from the ambulance. Bodie joined in the pressure until help returned. Once the man had been given first aid and was strapped onto the stretcher, Doyle was once again hauled to his feet.

"I told the ambulance man I'd take you to the hospital myself."

"I'm not sure you can be trusted, Bodie."

Bodie slid an arm round his partner's waist and took his weight as his friend leaned heavily on his shoulder to limp out of the building. Bodie tried not to feel guilty.

Doyle shook his head sadly, "George is going to love this, isn't he?"

Once outside, Bodie turned to his colleagues. "You'd better finish up here," he suggested to them, adding, "God knows what we're going to tell Cowley."

Even Reilly and Adams looked sheepish, but relieved that it wasn't them who were going to have to do any explaining.


End file.
